Field wire and barbed wire are often used to provide an enclosure for animals and livestock. To install fencing or barbed wire, which are typically provided on spools, are typically unrolled from the spools, pulled tight and then mounted to wood or metal posts that surround the area to be enclosed. This process was often carried out by hand and required the spools to be lifted and unrolled and then for the wire and fencing to be pulled tight and then mounted to the post. This process is time consuming and labor intensive because it often required two or more workers. The task was made more difficult due to the weight of the fencing and wire as well as the barbs. In the description that follows, unless specifically noted otherwise, the term “wire” will refer generally to all varieties of spooled wire or fencing, including field wire or fencing as well as barbed wire and chain link fencing, and the like.
As a result, various devices have been created that enable the spools of field wire and barbed wire to be unspooled. Certain of these devices were mounted to hand-drawn carts and other devices were mountable to vehicles (such as a tractor), which enable the wire to be unspooled as the vehicle moves. However, these devices allow for unspooling only one type of wire at a time and not the simultaneous unspooling of multiple types of wire. Additionally, these devices are often bulky and require a significant amount of storage space.
What is needed, therefore, is an apparatus that can be mounted to a vehicle and that is configured to hold multiple spools of one or more types of wire and to enable those spools of wire to be unspooled simultaneously.
The above and other needs are met by a wire unroller apparatus having a base that is configured to hold a first and a second spindle of wire. The base of the apparatus includes a base surface, left and right arms extending away from the base surface and that terminate at ends, and a cross bar that is removably connected to the ends of the left and right arms. Sometimes the first arm and the second arm each include a first arm section extending away from the base surface and a second arm section rotatably mounted to the first arm section and terminating at an end.
A first spindle that is designed to receive one or more spools of wire is oriented in a first direction and has a first end removably connected to the base surface and a second end removably connected to the cross bar. Sometimes the first end of each of the first spindles includes an elongate extension portion configured for insertion through an opening disposed in the base surface. The extension portion has an opening configured to receive a pin to removably fix the extension portion in the opening in the base surface. Also, the second end of each of the first spindles may include an elongate extension portion configured for insertion through an opening disposed in the crossbar. The extension portion may have an opening configured to receive a pin to removably fix the extension portion in the opening in the crossbar.
A second spindle is oriented in a second direction and is configured to receive one or more spools of wire. The second spindle is removably connected to the left and right arms. The second spindle is designed so that one or more spools of wire may be located between the left and right arms. The apparatus is configured so that spools of wire on the first spindle and the second spindle may be unrolled at the same time.
The base is configured to be removably mounted to a vehicle. For example, sometimes the device includes a receiver hitch mount having a base mount configured to removably mount to the base and a vehicle mount configured to be mounted to a receiver hitch of a vehicle. In other embodiments, the apparatus includes a plurality of linkage pins configured for attachment to a 3-point hitch.
In certain embodiments, the apparatus includes a guard having ends connected to the left and right arms near the location of the second spindle. The guard extends away from the left and right arms and is configured to contact a portion of a vehicle used to lift the apparatus. The guard prevents the vehicle from contacting the one or more spools of wire located on the second spindle. For example, the apparatus may sometimes include two or more forklift receivers mounted to a bottom surface of the base that are configured to receive forks of a forklift that may be used to lift the apparatus. Additionally, the apparatus may include one or more strap connection points that are configured to receive one or more straps for removably securing a portion of the unroller apparatus to a portion of the vehicle.
Sometimes the apparatus includes cradles that are located on the left and right arm and that are configured to receive the second spindle and to hold it in place. The second spindle may sometimes include a pair of centering members that are designed for placement on either side of at least one of the cradles to prevent side-to-side movement of the second spindle when placed into the cradles. Additionally, the spindles may include at least one spool separator. The spool separators are configured for placement onto at least one of the first or second spindles adjacent the one or more spools of wire.
In a second major embodiment, the wire unroller apparatus includes a base. The base includes a base surface and left and right arms extending away from the base surface. The arms terminate at ends and a cross bar is removably connected to the ends of the arms. Sometimes the left and right arms each include a first arm section extending away from the base surface and a second arm section that is rotatably mounted to the first arm section and that terminates at an end.
The plurality of first spindles are each configured to receive one or more spools of wire and are disposed in a first direction. Preferably, at least one spool separator is placed onto the first spindles adjacent the one or more spools. The first spools have a first end that is removably connected to the base surface and a second end that is removably connected to the cross bar. Preferably, the one or more spools of wire on the plurality of first spindles may be unrolled at the same time.
The base is configured to be removably mounted to a vehicle. Sometimes the apparatus includes two or more forklift receivers mounted to a bottom surface of the base. The two or more forklift receivers are configured to receive forks of a forklift that may be used to raise and lower the base. The apparatus may also include one or more strap connection points that are configured to receive one or more straps for removably securing a portion of the unroller apparatus to a portion of the vehicle. In other embodiments, the apparatus includes a receiver hitch mount having a base mount configured to removably mount to the base and a vehicle mount configured to be mounted to a receiver hitch of a vehicle. In yet other embodiments, the apparatus includes a plurality of linkage pins configured for attachment to a 3-point hitch.